Microsoft Publisher 2010 STIG

U_MS_Publisher_2010_STIG_V1R11_Manual-xccdf.xml

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V1R11

2018-04-04

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Settings in this guidance assume a complete installation of Microsoft Office 2010 on the Windows 7 Platform. Registry paths and values identified in each control assume the use of Group Policy Administrative Templates. Installations not using Group Policies to administer Microsoft Office products may observe alternate registry paths for stored configuration values. Comments or proposed revisions to this document should be sent via e-mail to the following address: [email protected]

Vuln

Rule

Version

CCI

Severity

Title

Description

SV-33895r1_rule

DTOO104 - Publisher

CCI-001170

MEDIUM

Disabling of user name and password syntax from being used in URLs must be enforced.

The Uniform Resource Locator (URL) standard allows user authentication to be included in URL strings in the form http://username:[email protected] A malicious user might use this URL syntax to create a hyperlink that appears to open a legitimate Web site but actually opens a deceptive (spoofed) Web site. For example, the URL http://[email protected] appears to open http://www.wingtiptoys.com but actually opens http://example.com. To protect users from such attacks, Internet Explorer usually blocks any URLs using this syntax.
This functionality can be controlled separately for instances of Internet Explorer spawned by Office applications (for example, if a user clicks a link in an Office document or selects a menu option that loads a Web page). If user names and passwords in URLs are allowed, users could be diverted to dangerous Web pages, which could pose a security risk.
System AdministratorInformation Assurance Officer

SV-33890r1_rule

DTOO111 - Publisher

CCI-001695

MEDIUM

Enabling IE Bind to Object functionality must be present.

Internet Explorer performs a number of safety checks before initializing an ActiveX control. It will not initialize a control if the kill bit for the control is set in the registry, or if the security settings for the zone in which the control is located do not allow it to be initialized.
This functionality can be controlled separately for instances of Internet Explorer spawned by Office applications (for example, if a user clicks a link in an Office document or selects a menu option that loads a Web page). A security risk could occur if potentially dangerous controls are allowed to load.
System AdministratorInformation Assurance Officer

SV-33919r1_rule

DTOO117 - Publisher

CCI-001170

MEDIUM

Saved from URL mark to assure Internet zone processing must be enforced.

Typically, when Internet Explorer loads a Web page from a Universal Naming Convention (UNC) share that contains a Mark of the Web (MOTW) comment, indicating the page was saved from a site on the Internet, Internet Explorer runs the page in the Internet security zone instead of the less restrictive Local Intranet security zone. This functionality can be controlled separately for instances of Internet Explorer spawned by Office applications (for example, if a user clicks a link in an Office document or selects a menu option that loads a Web page). If Internet Explorer does not evaluate the page for a MOTW, potentially dangerous code could be allowed to run.System AdministratorInformation Assurance Officer

SV-33900r1_rule

DTOO123 - Publisher

CCI-001170

MEDIUM

Navigation to URL's embedded in Office products must be blocked.

To protect users from attacks, Internet Explorer usually does not attempt to load malformed URLs. This functionality can be controlled separately for instances of Internet Explorer spawned by Office applications (for example, if a user clicks a link in an Office document or selects a menu option that loads a Web page). If Internet Explorer attempts to load a malformed URL, a security risk could occur in some cases.System AdministratorInformation Assurance Officer

SV-33894r1_rule

DTOO129 - Publisher

CCI-001662

MEDIUM

Links that invoke instances of IE from within an Office product must be blocked.

The Pop-up Blocker feature in Internet Explorer can be used to block most unwanted pop-up and pop-under windows from appearing. This functionality can be controlled separately for instances of Internet Explorer spawned by 2007 Office applications (for example, if a user clicks a link in an Office document or selects a menu option that loads a Web page). If the Pop-up Blocker is disabled, disruptive and potentially dangerous pop-up windows could load and present a security risk.System AdministratorInformation Assurance Officer

SV-33928r1_rule

DTOO131 - Publisher

CCI-001749

MEDIUM

Trust Bar Notifications for unsigned application add-ins must be blocked.

If an application is configured to require all add-ins be signed by a trusted publisher, any unsigned add-ins the application loads will be disabled and the application will display the Trust Bar at the top of the active window. The Trust Bar contains a message informing users about the unsigned add-in.System AdministratorInformation Assurance Officer

SV-33930r1_rule

DTOO304 - Publisher

CCI-000381

MEDIUM

Warning Bar settings for VBA macros must be configured.

When users open files containing VBA Macros, applications open the files with the macros disabled and displays the Trust Bar with a warning that macros are present and have been disabled. Users may then enable these macros by clicking Options on the Trust Bar and selecting the option to enable them. Disabling or not configuring this setting may allow dangerous macros to become active on user computers or the network. System AdministratorInformation Assurance Officer

SV-33887r2_rule

DTOO126 - Publisher

CCI-001662

MEDIUM

Add-on Management functionality must be allowed.

Internet Explorer add-ons are pieces of code, run in Internet Explorer, to provide additional functionality. Rogue add-ons may contain viruses or other malicious code. Disabling or not configuring this setting could allow malicious code or users to become active on user computers or the network. For example, a malicious user can monitor and then use keystrokes users type into Internet Explorer. Even legitimate add-ons may demand resources, compromising the performance of Internet Explorer, and the operating systems for user computers.System AdministratorInformation Assurance Officer

SV-33901r1_rule

DTOO209 - Publisher

CCI-001695

MEDIUM

Protection from zone elevation must be enforced.

Internet Explorer places restrictions on each web page users can use the browser to open. Web pages on a user's local computer have the fewest security restrictions and reside in the Local Machine zone, making this security zone a prime target for malicious users and code. Disabling or not configuring this setting could allow pages in the Internet zone to navigate to pages in the Local Machine zone to then run code to elevate privileges. This could allow malicious code or users to become active on user computers or the network. System AdministratorInformation Assurance Officer

SV-33905r1_rule

DTOO211 - Publisher

CCI-002460

MEDIUM

ActiveX Installs must be configured for proper restriction.

Microsoft ActiveX controls allow unmanaged, unprotected code to run on the user computers. ActiveX controls do not run within a protected container in the browser like the other types of HTML or Microsoft Silverlight-based controls. Disabling or not configuring this setting does not block prompts for ActiveX control installations and these prompts display to users. This could allow malicious code to become active on user computers or the network. System AdministratorInformation Assurance Officer

SV-33916r1_rule

DTOO132 - Publisher

CCI-001169

MEDIUM

File Downloads must be configured for proper restrictions.

Disabling this setting allows websites to present file download prompts via code without the user specifically initiating the download. User preferences may also allow the download to occur without prompting or interacting with the user. Even if Internet Explorer prompts the user to accept the download, some websites abuse this functionality. Malicious websites may continually prompt users to download a file or present confusing dialog boxes to trick users into downloading or running a file. If the download occurs and it contains malicious code, the code could become active on user computers or the network. System AdministratorInformation Assurance Officer

SV-33922r1_rule

DTOO124 - Publisher

CCI-001695

MEDIUM

Scripted Window Security must be enforced.

Malicious websites often try to confuse or trick users into giving a site permission to perform an action allowing the site to take control of the users' computers in some manner. Disabling or not configuring this setting allows unknown websites to:
-Create browser windows appearing to be from the local operating system.
-Draw active windows displaying outside of the viewable areas of the screen capturing keyboard input.
-Overlay parent windows with their own browser windows to hide important system information, choices or prompts.
System AdministratorInformation Assurance Officer

SV-33929r1_rule

DTOO127 - Publisher

CCI-001749

MEDIUM

Application add-ins must be signed by Trusted Publisher.

Office 2010 applications do not check the digital signature on application add-ins before opening them. Disabling or not configuring this setting may allow an application to load a dangerous add-in. As a result, malicious code could become active on user computers or the network.System AdministratorInformation Assurance Officer

SV-33926r1_rule

DTOO128 - Publisher

CCI-001170

MEDIUM

Data Execution Prevention must be enforced.

Data Execution Prevention (DEP) is a set of hardware and software technologies performing additional checks on memory to help prevent malicious code from running on a system. The primary benefit of DEP is to help prevent code execution from data pages. Enabling this setting, turns off Data Execution Prevention. As a result, malicious code takes advantage of code injection or buffer overflow vulnerabilities possibly exploiting the computer.System AdministratorInformation Assurance Officer

SV-34092r1_rule

DTOO322 - Publisher

CCI-001662

MEDIUM

Fatally corrupt files must be blocked from opening.

Enabling this setting allows user to open fatally corrupt Publisher 2010 files. As a result, malicious code or users could become active on user computers or the network. For example, a malicious user may purposely corrupt a Publisher file. The corrupted file could force the application to fail or execute malicious code, giving the malicious user control of Publisher 2010. System AdministratorInformation Assurance Officer

SV-34093r1_rule

DTOO323 - Publisher

CCI-001170

MEDIUM

The Publisher Automation Security Level must be configured for high security.

When a separate application is used to launch Publisher 2010 programmatically, any macros can run in the programmatically-opened application without being blocked. Disabling or not configuring this setting could allow a malicious user to use automation to run malicious code in Publisher 2010. System AdministratorInformation Assurance Officer